isChecked

Remarks

The Checked property indicates the state of this Command. If a command item appears depressed on a commandbar, the command is checked. The active tool will appear checked. Also commands that serve as a toggle will be checked when that toggle is on. A system event is periodically called to set the state of the commands on the commandbars indicating which ones are checked.

getName

Remarks

The Name property of a command is a programmatic identifying name string. By convention, a command's name should include its category name. The format of the Name string should be <Category>_<Caption>. For example, the name of the builtin ArcMap command About ArcMap is "Help_About". Since it is an identifier of the command, the Name property should not be localized.

When implementing ICommand to create a custom command, use the Name property to set the internal name of this command.

Note, the Caption property of a command is the string that appears when the command is placed on a command bar.

getHelpFile

Description

The HelpFile property is used to specify the name of the help file that contains the context sensitive help topic for your custom command.

Remarks

If you set both the HelpFile and HelpContextID properties, then an end-user of your command can use the "What's This?" command in ArcMap or ArcCatalog to get help on your command. Note, if you want your What's This help to look and behave the same as the standard ArcGIS commands, then you should create a WinHelp file instead of a HTMLHelp file.

If you have a WinHelp file (*.hlp), set ICommand_HelpFile to the name of the help file containing the topic that describes the command and set ICommand_HelpContextID to the topic ID's mapped numeric value. The topic ID is the so-called # footnote in the RTF file you include in your WinHelp file. You can use Help Workshop to add this numeric value by opening the HPJ file, clicking Map and then clicking Add (to add the mapping for an individual topic). See the help topic "To enable a program to display an individual Help topic" in the Help Workshop's help file.

If you have an HTMLHelp file (*.chm) the procedure is similar; specifiy the .chm file as ICommand_HelpFile and the mapped numeric value as ICommand_HelpContextID. Popup topics are problematic with HTMLHelp, but the help topic will display in a default or user-defined window.

As part of your deployment strategy register the name of the WinHelp file (*.hlp) as a new string value in:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Help

Or if you're working with a HTMLHelp file (*.chm) register its name as a new string value in:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\HTMLHelp.

Note, if you want to create a custom command that launches your help system, you can call an entire help file and/or use the functionality of the appropriate Help APIs by declaring and using the Windows API WinHelp() function or HTMLHelp() function.

Once you have one of these help functions declared, the OnClick event of your command could call the help function.

getHelpContextID

Description

The HelpContextID property is used to specify the mapped numeric value of the topic ID of the context sensitive help topic for your custom command. Specify the name of your help file in the HelpFile property.

Remarks

If you set both the HelpFile and HelpContextID properties, then an end-user of your command can use the "What's This?" command in ArcMap or ArcCatalog to get help on your command. Note, if you want your What's This help to look and behave the same as the standard ArcGIS commands, then you should create a WinHelp file instead of a HTMLHelp file.

If you have a WinHelp file (*.hlp), set ICommand_HelpFile to the name of the help file containing the topic that describes the command and set ICommand_HelpContextID to the topic ID's mapped numeric value. The topic ID is the so-called # footnote in the RTF file you include in your WinHelp file. You can use Help Workshop to add this numeric value by opening the HPJ file, clicking Map and then clicking Add (to add the mapping for an individual topic). See the help topic "To enable a program to display an individual Help topic" in the Help Workshop's help file.

If you have an HTMLHelp file (*.chm) the procedure is similar; specifiy the.chm file as ICommand_HelpFile and the mapped numeric value asICommand_HelpContextID. Popup topics are problematic with HTMLHelp, but the help topic will display in a default or user-defined window.

As part of your deployment strategy register the name of the WinHelp file (*.hlp) as a new string value in:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Help

Or if you're working with a HTMLHelp file (*.chm) register its name as a new string value in:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\HTMLHelp.

getBitmap

Remarks

When implementing ICommand to create a custom command, use the Bitmap property to set the bitmap to be used as the icon on this command. In your Visual Basic project for this command, the bitmap can be stored in a resource file or in a PictureBox control on a form.

You must use a Bitmap file (.bmp) for the Bitmap property; Icon files (.ico) are not supported. Bitmap files should be 16 X 16 pixels. The color of the upper left pixel of the bitmap is treated as the transparent color. For example, if the upper left pixel of the bitmap is red, then all of the red pixels in the bitmap will be converted to transparent.

When a command is put on a toolbar, the command is displayed with the bitmap only by default; the display type is set to Image Only (ICommandItem::Style = esriCommandStyleIconOnly). When a command is put on a menu, the command is displayed with the bitmap and caption by default; the display type is set to Image and Text (ICommandItem::Style = esriCommandStyleIconAndText). However, if the Bitmap property is not set for this command, then the command will be displayed with the caption only by default when it is put on a toolbar or menu; the display type is set to Text Only (ICommandItem::Style = esriCommandStyleTextOnly).

Product Availability

Available with ArcGIS Engine, ArcGIS Desktop, and ArcGIS Server.

Supported Platforms

Windows, Solaris, Linux

When implementing ICommand to create a custom command, there is no need to implement this method. In the custom Java Command class, set the bitmapPath String to the physical location of the bitmap file to be used on the toolbar.

bitmapPath = "/images/mybitmap.bmp";

You must use a Bitmap file (.bmp); Icon files (.ico) are not supported. Bitmap files should be 16 X 16 pixels. The color of the upper left pixel of the bitmap is treated as the transparent color. For example, if the upper left pixel of the bitmap is red, then all of the red pixels in the bitmap will be converted to transparent.

When a command is put on a toolbar, the command is displayed with the bitmap only by default; the display type is set to Image Only (esriCommandStyles.esriCommandStyleIconOnly). When a command is put on a menu, the command is displayed with the bitmap and caption by default; the display type is set to Image and Text (esriCommandStyles.esriCommandStyleIconAndText). However, if the Bitmap property is not set for this command, then the command will be displayed with the caption only by default when it is put on a toolbar or menu; the display type is set to Text Only (esriCommandStyles.esriCommandStyleTextOnly).

onCreate

Description

Remarks

The OnCreate method gives the command a hook into the application.

When implementing ICommand to create a custom command, use the OnCreate method to get a hook to the application.

When you implement ICommand to create a custom command, you will find that your class constructor and destructor are called more than once per session. Commands are constructed once initially to get information about them, like the name, bitmap, etc and then they are destroyed. When the final, complete construction takes place, the OnCreate method gets called. OnCreate gets called only once, so you can rely on it to perform initialization of member variables. You can check for initialized member variables in the class destructor to find out if OnCreate has been called previously.

Example:

Object buddyControl = null;

MapControl mapControl = null;

//If your buddy control is of type mapcontrol

public void onCreate(Object hook) {

try {

// The hook argument is an instance of control to which this tool is added.

onMouseDown

Description

button specifies which mouse button is pressed. The button argument is a bit field. Some, all, or none of the bits can be set indicating that some, all, or none of the mouse buttons are pressed. The values for button are as follows:

1 Left button 2 Right button 3 Left and Right buttons 4 Middle button 5 Left and Middle buttons 6 Right and Middle buttons 7 All buttons

Shift indicates whether the Shift key, Ctrl key, or Alt key is pressed when the mouse button is pressed. The Shift argument is a bit field. Some, all, or none of the bits can be set indicating that some, all, or none of the keys are pressed. The values for Shift are as follows:

onMouseMove

Description

button specifies which mouse button was pressed while moving the mouse. The button argument is a bit field. Some, all, or none of the bits can be set indicating that some, all, or none of the mouse buttons are pressed. The values for button are as follows:

1 Left button 2 Right button 3 Left and Right buttons 4 Middle button 5 Left and Middle buttons 6 Right and Middle buttons 7 All buttons

Shift indicates whether the Shift key, Ctrl key, or Alt key is pressed when the mouse is moved. The Shift argument is a bit field. Some, all, or none of the bits can be set indicating that some, all, or none of the keys are pressed. The values for Shift are as follows:

onMouseUp

Description

button specifies which mouse button is released. The button argument is a bit field. Some, all, or none of the bits can be set indicating that some, all, or none of the mouse buttons are pressed. The values for button are as follows:

1 Left button 2 Right button 3 Left and Right buttons 4 Middle button 5 Left and Middle buttons 6 Right and Middle buttons 7 All buttons

Shift indicates whether the Shift key, Ctrl key, or Alt key is pressed when the mouse button is released. The Shift argument is a bit field. Some, all, or none of the bits can be set indicating that some, all, or none of the keys are pressed. The values for Shift are as follows:

onKeyDown

Occurs when a key on the keyboard is pressed when this tool is active.

Description

keyCode specifies which key on the keyboard was pressed.

Shift indicates whether the Shift key, Ctrl key, or Alt key was pressed when the mouse button was pressed. 0 for no keys pressed. 1 for Shift key pressed. 2 for Ctrl key pressed. 4 for Alt key pressed. If both the Shift key and the Ctrl key were pressed, Shift would be 3. If all three keys were pressed, Shift would be 7.

Remarks

When implementing ITool to create a custom tool, write the code that performs the action when a key on the keyboard is pressed when this tool is the active tool in the OnKeyDown method.

onKeyUp

Occurs when a key on the keyboard is released when this tool is active.

Description

keyCode specifies which key on the keyboard was released.

Shift indicates whether the Shift key, Ctrl key, or Alt key was pressed when the mouse button was pressed. 0 for no keys pressed. 1 for Shift key pressed. 2 for Ctrl key pressed. 4 for Alt key pressed. If both the Shift key and the Ctrl key were pressed, Shift would be 3. If all three keys were pressed, Shift would be 7.

Remarks

When implementing ITool to create a custom tool, write the code that performs the action when a key on the keyboard is released when this tool is the active tool in the OnKeyUp method.

onContextMenu

Description

X is the X coordinate, in device units, where the right mouse button was pressed.

Y is the Y coordinate, in device units, where the right mouse button was pressed.

Remarks

When implementing ITool to create a custom tool, write code to display a custom context menu when the right mouse button is pressed when this tool is the active tool in the OnContext method.

If your tool displays a custom context menu, it should let the application know that it handled the OnContextMenu event by returning True from the OnContext function. If you don't do this, the standard context menu will be displayed after your custom context menu.

refresh

Description

hDC is the handle to the display context which just got refreshed in the application.

Remarks

When implementing ITool to create a custom tool, write the code in the Refresh method that performs some action when a screen display in the application is refreshed while this tool is the active tool. When the current screen display in the application is refreshed, the handle to the device context that is associated with that screen display is passed into the Refresh method as an argument.

deactivate

Remarks

When implementing ITool to create a custom tool, add some logic to the Deactivate method to specify whether this tool can be deactivated. If ITool_Deactivate is set to False, the default, you cannot interact with any other tools because this tool cannot be interrupted by another tool.